How to Shoot Panoramas with Olympus OM-1 & Fujifilm XF 10-24mm f/4 OIS WR

Why This Camera & Lens Are Great for Panoramas

If you’re searching for how to shoot panorama with Olympus OM-1 & Fujifilm XF 10-24mm f/4 OIS WR, you’re targeting a robust, pro-leaning body with a versatile ultra-wide rectilinear zoom. The Olympus OM-1 is a weather-sealed, stacked BSI 20.4MP Micro Four Thirds mirrorless that delivers excellent stabilization and dependable color. The Fujifilm XF 10–24mm f/4 OIS WR is a constant-aperture ultra-wide zoom known for sharpness at f/5.6–f/8 and relatively low chromatic aberration for a rectilinear design.

Important compatibility note: the Fujifilm XF 10–24mm f/4 OIS WR is X-mount and does not natively fit Micro Four Thirds. Due to flange distance and electronics, there’s no commonly available adapter that provides infinity focus and full functionality (AF, OIS, electronic aperture) on the OM-1. Practically speaking, you will get the same panorama results by using an equivalent ultra-wide rectilinear MFT lens on the OM-1, such as the M.Zuiko 7–14mm f/2.8 PRO or 8–25mm f/4 PRO. This guide explains the exact panorama workflow for the OM-1 body using a rectilinear ultra-wide like the XF 10–24’s field of view. If you were to mount the Fujifilm lens (for close-focus only with a non-standard adapter), the technique still applies, but we strongly recommend an MFT-native ultra-wide for real-world 360° work.

Quick Setup Overview

• Camera: Olympus OM-1 — Micro Four Thirds (17.3 × 13 mm) stacked BSI sensor, 20.4MP, approx. 12 EV dynamic range at base ISO, strong IBIS (up to 7–8 stops with Sync IS), weather-sealed body.
• Lens: Fujifilm XF 10–24mm f/4 OIS WR — rectilinear ultra-wide zoom, constant f/4, best sharpness at f/5.6–f/8, good flare resistance with hood, low CA for class, but electronic distortion correction at the wide end. Note: not natively compatible with OM-1; use MFT equivalents for practical 360° capture.
• Estimated shots & overlap (rectilinear UWA on OM-1):
  • At 8–10mm MFT: 6 shots per row × 3 rows (±45° + horizon) + zenith + nadir, 30–35% overlap.
  • At 12mm MFT: 7–8 shots per row × 3 rows + zenith + nadir, 30–35% overlap.
  • Cylindrical (non-360): single row, 8–10 frames at 10–12mm.
• Difficulty: Intermediate — rectilinear ultra-wide panoramas are straightforward once the nodal point is calibrated, but require multi-row discipline.

Planning & On-Site Preparation

Evaluate Shooting Environment

Before setting up, assess light direction, contrast, and movement. Highly reflective interiors (glass, polished floors, glossy furniture) demand precise nodal alignment to prevent parallax and ghosting. When shooting through glass, place the front element within 2–3 cm of the surface, shoot perpendicular to minimize reflections, and use a hood or dark cloth to block stray light. Outdoors, note the sun’s path; avoid including the sun at the edge of frames with rectilinear lenses to reduce flare and veiling. Wind, crowd flow, and vibrations (bridges, rooftops, parking decks) all affect stitch quality.

Match Gear to Scene Goals

The OM-1’s 20MP stacked BSI sensor offers solid noise control up to ISO 800–1600 and around 12 EV of dynamic range at base ISO — plenty for daylight panoramas and interior HDR bracketing. The Fujifilm 10–24mm (or a similar MFT ultra-wide) is ideal for rectilinear 360° work: you’ll use more frames than a fisheye, but verticals remain straight, which is great for architecture and real estate. In low light, the OM-1’s IBIS helps for composition or handheld panos, but for tripod work, disable IBIS and lens OIS to avoid micro-shift. For mixed lighting, lock white balance for consistent color across tiles.

Pre-shoot Checklist

• Charge batteries; carry spares. High shot counts drain more quickly, especially with bracketing.
• Use fast, reliable UHS-II SD cards; back up to a second card if possible.
• Clean lens and sensor; dust shows up when cloning the nadir.
• Level the tripod; verify panoramic head is squared to the leveling base.
• Calibrate and mark the nodal (no-parallax) point for your focal length(s).
• Safety: weigh down the tripod, tether gear on rooftops or poles, mind traffic when car-mounted.
• Backup: capture an extra safety round (especially the horizon row) in case of people/vehicle intrusions.

Essential Gear & Setup

Core Gear

• Panoramic head: This lets you rotate around the lens’ entrance pupil (nodal point) to eliminate parallax when foreground and background overlap. A two-axis head with precise fore-aft and left-right rails simplifies calibration.
• Stable tripod with leveling base: A leveling base speeds setup and keeps rows consistent. Carbon legs reduce vibration; use spikes or weights in wind.
• Remote trigger/app: Use the OM Image Share app or a cable release to avoid camera shake. A 2-second timer works in a pinch.

Optional Add-ons

• Pole or car mount: Great for elevated viewpoints or moving rigs. Always use a safety tether, inspect clamps, and avoid high winds. Faster shutter speeds (1/250–1/500) help fight vibration.
• Lighting aids: Small LED panels for interior shadow lift; keep them out of frame and consistent between rows.
• Weather protection: Rain cover and microfiber towels. The OM-1 is IP53-rated when paired with weather-resistant lenses — still wipe and keep ports sealed.

Step-by-Step Shooting Guide

Standard Static Scenes

1. Level and lock: Level the tripod using the leveling base. Lock the panoramic head’s tilt for the horizon row. Use an L-bracket if needed to keep the camera’s nodal point centered.
2. Nodal calibration: Place a near object (1–2 m) and a far object (~10–20 m) overlapping in the frame. Rotate the camera left/right; adjust the fore-aft rail until the near object no longer shifts against the background. Mark this position on your rail for each focal length you use (e.g., 8mm, 10mm, 12mm MFT).
3. Manual exposure and WB: Switch to M mode. Meter the brightest part you plan to include, then set a balanced exposure for the scene. Lock white balance (e.g., Daylight outdoors, custom Kelvin indoors) to avoid color shifts across frames. Shoot RAW.
4. Focus: Use manual focus and set near the hyperfocal distance. At 10mm MFT and f/8, focusing around 1–1.5 m provides front-to-back sharpness in most scenes. Turn off AF after focusing.
5. Stabilization: On tripod, disable OM-1 IBIS (S-IS OFF) and lens OIS (if present) to prevent micro-movements between frames.
6. Capture sequence:
   • 3 rows at +45°, 0°, −45°. At 8–10mm MFT, shoot 6 frames per row with 30–35% overlap. At 12mm MFT, shoot 7–8 per row.
   • Add one zenith (straight up) and one nadir (straight down) shot.
   • Use a consistent rotation angle; many heads have click-stops (e.g., 60° for 6 shots).
7. Nadir capture: Either tilt the head for a direct nadir frame or shoot a handheld nadir with the camera shifted to keep the entrance pupil over the tripod point — easier to patch later.

HDR / High Dynamic Range Interiors

1. Bracketed exposures: For windows and bright lamps, bracket ±2 EV in 3–5 frames (e.g., −2, 0, +2 EV; or −4, −2, 0, +2, +4 EV for extreme contrast). The OM-1’s AE bracketing works well; avoid in-camera HDR merge — you need separate RAWs for stitching.
2. Workflow: Shoot all frames at each yaw/pitch before rotating to keep bracket groups together. Keep WB locked and use manual focus. Consider turning off any flickering light sources (or shoot at shutter speeds that avoid banding).

Low-Light / Night Scenes

1. Exposure: Start around f/4–f/5.6, ISO 200–800, and lengthen shutter as needed (1–30 s). The OM-1 handles ISO 800–1600 respectably, but for clean 360° viewing, prefer longer shutter over higher ISO where possible.
2. Stability: Use a remote or 2 s timer, electronic shutter, and wind shielding. Turn off IBIS/OIS on tripod.
3. Noise management: Expose to the right without clipping highlights; this reduces shadow noise on Micro Four Thirds sensors.

Crowded Events

1. Double pass: First pass for coverage, second pass waiting for gaps. Extra frames let you mask crowds in post.
2. Fast shutter: 1/200–1/500 helps freeze people and flags. Consider ISO 800–1600 with f/5.6–f/8 to maintain depth of field.
3. Masking plan: In PTGui or Hugin, use masks to pick clean areas from each pass.

Special Setups (Pole / Car / Drone)

1. Pole: Keep weight low with a compact head and body; secure a tether; avoid gusts over 15–20 km/h. Use faster shutter (1/250–1/500) and larger overlaps (35–40%).
2. Car mount: Rigid suction mounts on clean glass/paint; use safety lines. Avoid highways. Pre-plan a short route to minimize parallax changes between frames.
3. Drone: If using a gimbal-mounted camera, shoot in place with yaw rotation and consistent pitch. Check local regulations.

Recommended Settings & Pro Tips

Exposure & Focus

Critical Tips

• Manual focus at hyperfocal: At 10mm MFT and f/8, set focus near 1–1.5 m for deep DOF. Always verify with magnified live view.
• Nodal point calibration: Use near/far alignment and mark rail positions for each focal length you use. Keep a laminated card with your saved distances.
• White balance lock: Avoid Auto WB; use a fixed Kelvin or preset that matches the dominant light.
• RAW over JPEG: You’ll need the latitude for HDR blending, noise reduction, and seamless color matching between frames.
• Stabilization rules: On tripod, disable OM-1 IBIS (S-IS OFF) and any lens OIS. For handheld panos (non-360), enable IBIS to reduce shake.

Stitching & Post-Processing

Software Workflow

Import RAW files into Lightroom, Capture One, or your preferred RAW developer. Apply consistent white balance, lens profile (if available for your MFT lens), and basic tone settings. Avoid local edits before stitching. Export 16-bit TIFFs and stitch in PTGui or Hugin. Rectilinear ultra-wide sets require more frames than fisheye, but they preserve straight lines and are ideal for real estate and architecture. Maintain 30–35% overlap; more overlap (35–40%) helps with low-texture walls and ceilings. PTGui’s masking and viewpoint correction tools are industry standards for nadir cleanup and dealing with moving subjects.

PTGui’s optimizer and control point detector are robust; however, double-check control point spread across all rows. For VR delivery, export an equirectangular 2:1 image (e.g., 12000×6000 px or 16384×8192 px for high quality). For a deeper dive on PTGui’s strengths and workflow, see this comprehensive review. PTGui reviewed as a top panorama tool.

Cleanup & Enhancement

• Nadir patch: Use PTGui’s Viewpoint feature or export to Photoshop. Clone/heal the tripod shadow; consider a branded floor patch for virtual tours.
• Color and noise: Apply gentle noise reduction for OM-1 files shot above ISO 800. Balance color across brackets before blending.
• Leveling: Use the horizon tool to correct roll/yaw/pitch. Check verticals in architectural panos.
• Export for VR: Save as high-quality JPEG (quality 10–12) or 16-bit TIFF if further work is needed. For platform guidelines and upload prep, see this DSLR-to-360 overview. Using a mirrorless to shoot and stitch a 360 photo.

Useful Tools & Resources

Software

• PTGui panorama stitching
• Hugin open source
• Lightroom / Photoshop for RAW and cleanup
• AI tripod removal tools for nadir patching

Hardware

• Panoramic heads (Nodal Ninja, Leofoto)
• Carbon fiber tripods
• Leveling bases with bubble/spirit level
• Wireless remote shutters or app
• Pole extensions / solid car mounts with safety tethers

Want an illustrated guide to panoramic heads and nodal alignment? This tutorial is a solid companion to the steps above. Panoramic head setup tutorial.

Disclaimer: software/hardware names provided for search reference; check official sites for details.

Common Mistakes & How to Avoid Them

• Parallax error: Always calibrate and mark the nodal point for each focal length.
• Exposure flicker: Manual exposure and locked WB only. Don’t use Auto ISO or Auto WB for 360° panos.
• Tripod shadows and footprints: Capture a dedicated nadir frame and patch during post.
• Ghosting from moving subjects: Shoot a second pass and use masks to select clean areas.
• High-ISO noise: On OM-1, prefer longer shutter over pushing ISO. ISO 200–800 is the sweet spot for clean 360° outputs.
• Stabilization artifacts: Turn off IBIS/OIS when on a tripod to prevent micro-movements between frames.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Can I shoot handheld panoramas with the Olympus OM-1?

  Yes, for partial or cylindrical panos. Enable IBIS and use faster shutter speeds (1/200+). For full multi-row 360° with clean stitches, a tripod and panoramic head are strongly recommended.

• Is the Fujifilm XF 10–24mm f/4 OIS WR wide enough for single-row 360?

  As a rectilinear ultra-wide, it’s wide but not a fisheye; you’ll need multiple rows for a spherical 360°. A single row can cover a wide cylindrical pano but won’t capture the zenith and nadir. On OM-1 with an MFT-equivalent ultra-wide, plan for 3 rows + zenith + nadir.

• Do I need HDR for interiors with bright windows?

  Usually yes. Bracket ±2 EV in 3–5 frames per position to preserve window detail and shadow depth. Keep WB and focus locked and avoid in-camera HDR merges; stitch first, then tone-map or blend.

• How do I avoid parallax issues with this setup?

  Rotate around the lens’ entrance pupil. Calibrate using near/far objects and mark the rail position for each focal length. Keep the camera height and head level consistent across rows.

• What ISO range is safe on the OM-1 in low light?

  For 360° image quality, ISO 200–800 is ideal; 1600 is usable with careful exposure and noise reduction. Favor longer shutter speeds on a tripod over pushing ISO.

Field Examples & Practical Notes

Indoor Real Estate

At 10mm MFT, shoot 3 rows × 6 frames with 35% overlap, plus zenith/nadir. Bracket −2/0/+2 EV. Turn off all ceiling fans and stabilize any swinging decor. Lock WB to 4000–4500K for warm LEDs; tweak later if windows dominate. Use masks in PTGui to remove people or pets that wandered in.

Outdoor Sunset Landscape

Expose for highlights and capture an extra set for shadows if needed. Use f/8, ISO 200, 1/60–1/125 s. Add a graduated exposure blend for the horizon if flare or edge softness appears. Double-check the sun’s position to prevent flare across frames.

Event Crowds

Frame the scene with a first quick pass, then wait for crowd gaps to shoot a second pass. Use 1/250–1/500 s to freeze movement. Later, mask frames to remove ghosting. If a performer or banner must be sharp, dedicate a specific frame for that subject and prioritize it during masking.

Rooftop or Pole Capture

Safety first: tie a tether to the panoramic head and your camera strap. Add weight to the tripod. Use higher overlap (35–40%) and 1/250 s to counter wind-induced shake. If the pole flexes, keep rows to a minimum and watch for repeating patterns that can confuse the stitcher.

Mount Compatibility and Smart Alternatives

Although this guide focuses on how to shoot panorama with Olympus OM-1 & Fujifilm XF 10-24mm f/4 OIS WR, the combination is not natively mount-compatible. In practice:

• There is no common adapter that preserves infinity focus and electronics from Fujifilm X-mount to Micro Four Thirds.
• If you find a specialty optical adapter, expect compromises in image quality, functionality, and reliability — not recommended for professional 360 work.
• Use an MFT-native ultra-wide rectilinear: M.Zuiko 7–14mm f/2.8 PRO, 8–25mm f/4 PRO, or a sharp prime like Laowa 7.5mm f/2 for low-light. These deliver equivalent fields of view and full OM-1 functionality (IBIS, EXIF, weather sealing).

The panorama technique, nodal workflow, exposure strategy, and post-processing steps above are fully applicable with those alternatives. For a broad gear overview and virtual tour considerations, this field guide is helpful. Virtual tour camera & lens guide.

Safety, Care, and Trustworthy Workflow

Wind and height are the top risks; always tether on rooftops and poles. Don’t exceed your tripod’s load rating. Keep the OM-1’s port covers closed in dust or drizzle, and wipe your lens frequently during long sessions. In crowds, maintain a safe perimeter or use a low-profile travel tripod to avoid accidents. Back up your cards at the end of each location; if time allows, shoot a second safe set before you move on. Honest limitations: rectilinear ultra-wide panos require more frames than fisheye approaches, and the OM-1’s 20MP files mean output resolution will depend on how many frames you shoot — more frames = higher equirectangular resolution.